Another happy Invacom .3 Customer... who needs advice!

[CharredPC]

I just put my new Invacom 0.3dB lnb on to replace my DMS 0.6 Universal.
Before doing so I jotted down the following numbers (West to east):

G10-
The Tube: 63-65%S / 34-35%Q
KPBI: 44-45%S / 65-74%Q
WBIF: 64-65%S / 49-57%Q

AMC1-
Pentagon: 50-51%S / 35%Q

AMC4-
KUIL: 62-63%S / 49-57%Q

T5-
MACTV: 62-63%S / 29-31%Q

G3-
CCTV4: 64-65%S / 49%Q

T6-
ABC News Now: 60-61%S / 38-41%Q

AMC3-
PBS Kids: 42-43%S / 35-37%Q

AMC5-
KUEN: 60-62%S / 38%Q

SBS6-
ONN: 58-60%S / 35%Q

PAS9-
Cubavision: 50-51%S / 38-41%Q



Okay, now for the results AFTER the Invacom was installed!
Again, West to East, with improvements in green, degradation in red;

G10-
The Tube: 63-65%S / 41%Q
KPBI: 39-41%S / 74%Q
WBIF: 64-66%S / 57%Q

AMC1-
Pentagon: 41-43%S / 33%Q

AMC4-
KUIL: 61-62%S / 65%Q

T5-
MACTV: 57-59%S / 49%Q

G3-
CCTV: 63-65%S / 57%Q

T6-
ABC News Now: 60-61%S / 65%Q

AMC3-
PBS Kids: 39-40%S / 33%Q

AMC5-
KUEN: 59-61%S / 37-38%Q

SBS6-
ONN: 58-59%S / 29%Q

PAS9-
Cubavision: GONE



The best way I can express my results is I'm impressed... and confused. Obviously this lnb outperforms my former one, and I've NEVER seen The Tube's quality go into the 40's, let alone stay there, rock solid! Somehow, though, this install has really hurt my West side. The only difference I can figure is that the new lnb is both heavier and larger than the last; perhaps the support arm is weighed down slightly more? Also, due to the increased lnb width, my DBS lnb is now crammed against the Invacom instead of being a few cm away like before. Maybe it's pushing the Invacom's aim ever so slightly eastward, and showing a slight arc/alignment issue that was there all along, but more hidden previously?

Any advice is much appreciated! I miss SBS6 and PAS9

 

[snathanb]

If you are using USALS, you may want to try temporarily switching to 1.2 and use the nudge feature to try to fine tune the aim to accomodate for the heavier LNB.

I'll be following this thread with interest... I've using an old DWAY .6 LNB, and if this is the result, I'll certainly be reconsidering my planned purchase of a .3 invacom LNB replacement. If the channels that improved didn't improve to the point where I'd bother with a new LNB (For reference I get between 55-60% Quality measure on a Fortec Ultra for "The Tube").

 

[Cascade]

Don't forget AMC1 has a slightly different skew.
If you're suffering on one side of the arc your motor setup is off (Again), unless your mount is insecure the LNB isn't anwhere near heavy enough to bend anything out of shape.
Ditch the DBS LNB for now so the Invacom has the proper aim, try resetting your arc if all else fails as the Invacom may have tighter tolerances.

 

[Cascade]

If you are using USALS, you may want to try temporarily switching to 1.2

For some reason every sat he aims at with USALS are way off, what does that tell you? ')

 

[Mr Tony]

something isnt right because the invacom shouldnt have lost signal. USe 1.2 (USALS only is good for aiming near the satellite)

 

[Mr Tony]

I just put my new Invacom 0.3dB lnb on to replace my DMS 0.6 Universal.
Before doing so I jotted down the following numbers (West to east):

G10-
The Tube: 63-65%S / 34-35%Q
KPBI: 44-45%S / 65-74%Q
WBIF: 64-65%S / 49-57%Q

AMC1-
Pentagon: 50-51%S / 35%Q

AMC4-
KUIL: 62-63%S / 49-57%Q

T5-
MACTV: 62-63%S / 29-31%Q

G3-
CCTV4: 64-65%S / 49%Q

T6-
ABC News Now: 60-61%S / 38-41%Q

AMC3-
PBS Kids: 42-43%S / 35-37%Q

AMC5-
KUEN: 60-62%S / 38%Q

SBS6-
ONN: 58-60%S / 35%Q

PAS9-
Cubavision: 50-51%S / 38-41%Q



Okay, now for the results AFTER the Invacom was installed!
Again, West to East, with improvements in green, degradation in red;

G10-
The Tube: 63-65%S / 41%Q
KPBI: 39-41%S / 74%Q
WBIF: 64-66%S / 57%Q

AMC1-
Pentagon: 41-43%S / 33%Q

AMC4-
KUIL: 61-62%S / 65%Q

T5-
MACTV: 57-59%S / 49%Q

G3-
CCTV: 63-65%S / 57%Q

T6-
ABC News Now: 60-61%S / 65%Q

AMC3-
PBS Kids: 39-40%S / 33%Q

AMC5-
KUEN: 59-61%S / 37-38%Q

SBS6-
ONN: 58-59%S / 29%Q

PAS9-
Cubavision: GONE

what receiver you using (I forgot)

Those numbers even with the .6 seem a little low to begin with. Make sure you are tracking the arc right.

 

[n4bbq]

Don't forget AMC1 has a slightly different skew.

A good skew tweak is to get on an analog signal, switch the polarity on the LNB (by choosing an opposide polarization TP) and twist the LNB until there in a null in the signal you are watching. When your LNB is orthogonal to the incoming wave, you shouldn't see any crosstalk.

 

[tvdxer]

Yeah, I don't know what receiver you are using but you should be getting better quality with the CCTV transponder either way. It's in the 90's here with an 80cm dish and FS Lifetime Ultra receiver. I know Q values vary between receivers, but I still think your quality on that one should be higher.

 

[Mr Tony]

Yeah, I don't know what receiver you are using but you should be getting better quality with the CCTV transponder either way. It's in the 90's here with an 80cm dish and FS Lifetime Ultra receiver. I know Q values vary between receivers, but I still think your quality on that one should be higher.

exactly. I have a 90 on CCTV with my DirecPC dish on the Pansat
Also, ABCNewsNow should be huigher. I can get a 75 quality with the 18" dish (and the 30" too)

 

[CharredPC]

The numbers are lousy becuase this is the Twinhan 102g. The numbers have always been lousy, even when my arc is 100%. As I pointed out elsewhere in another thread, even the superpowered DBS birds give me MAX 82% Signal, and I've never hit over 90% Quality. The card's calibration is to blame, nothing I can do about that. Though yes, the numbers are wacky enough and bug me enough sometimes I've considered getting a Nexus eventually.

USALS simply doesn't work, let's not turn that into an issue again I manually find an save the positions for every sat using 1.2, then readjust the saved positions as needed if I change something, like I did in this case. A few birds needed "nudging" to get the most quality out of them. I've given up on USALS angular movement; those commands barely move the SG2100 for some reason (tell it to move 20 angular degrees over and it bumps the dish maybe 10 clicks )

snathanb: Please do NOT use my numbers as gospel, consider them skewed. 34-35% -> 41% difference on The Tube is a big jump here. The average for most of the STRONGER transponders is a mere 49-57%; the best way I can put it is an old cb/ham term- "The 'needle' is stingy." This card is perhaps the cheapest sat card one can get, and definately should not be compared to a Pansat/Coolsat/etc.

 

[snathanb]

snathanb: Please do NOT use my numbers as gospel, consider them skewed. 34-35% -> 41% difference on The Tube is a big jump here. The average for most of the STRONGER transponders is a mere 49-57%; the best way I can put it is an old cb/ham term- "The 'needle' is stingy." This card is perhaps the cheapest sat card one can get, and definately should not be compared to a Pansat/Coolsat/etc.

Gotcha... thanks for the follow up.

 

[Mr Tony]

Gotcha... thanks for the follow up.

check out this post for proof about the different meters on the receivers

 

[iammike]

I've got a Twinhan PC card, and a Fortec receiver. The Twinhan tends to display about half or less of the quality rating the Fortec does for the weaker signals. In general I can still get a non-pixelated picture on the Twinhan if the quality is 20 or above and sometimes the high teens. On the Fortec, the magic number appears to be right around 40 or so. The difference between the two narrows as you go higher in quality. I'll be curious to see what kind of numbers Charred gets once he gets his arc issues ironed out.

 

[CharredPC]

I'll be curious to see what kind of numbers Charred gets once he gets his arc issues ironed out.

Pretty much have.
I figured out that while the old lnb took a more diffuse signal, and was much mroe fogiving of my setup's arc issues. The Invacom pointed them out to me sharply, in a very british-sounding voice, even...

Here's a new set of numbers from the now fully-working arc:

G10-
The Tube: 41%Q

AMC1-
Pentagon: 34%Q

AMC4-
KUIL: 82%Q

T5-
MacTV: 57%Q

G3-
CCTV4: 65%Q

T6-
ABC News Now: 74%Q

AMC3-
PBS Kids: 49%Q

AMC5-
KUEN: 65%Q

SBS6-
ONN: 49%Q

PAS9-
CUBAVISION: 49%Q

A bit healthier, I'd say
Though of course nothing compared to what a "real" FTA reciever would show. It's still alot better than before! Also, something that these numbers don't really show is how STABLE the Invacom makes things. Instead of the numbers drifting/fluctuating with each passing breeze or for no apparent reason at all, when i say 49%, I mean I've sat here and watched it over 10 minutes and the thing hasn't budged. Even when I managed 37% on my old lnb, it would still drop down to 34% occassionally and freeze/glitch the picture. After fixing the arc, the only signal that went lower after replacing the LNB was AMC1; probably becuase the less accurate, more "forgiving" 0.6dB lnb handled the "mis-skew" better.

DEFINATELY worth the upgrade, and I haven't even hit rain yet to see how it combats that

 

[novice]

i would second that statement about the stability of the invacom. you can observe this immediately when you're pointing your dish and have locked on to a satellite.

with the standard lnb that i had before the invacom, SQ would flucuate with the slightest movement of the dish. with the invacom lnb, there is a bit more dish freeplay allowed...you can nudge the dish slightly and still maintain relatively stable SS and SQ. has anyone else noticed this? also, the SS and SQ numbers hardly move once you have secured the position of the dish. for me, they fluctuate +/-2% at the most. with the standard lnb, fluctuations were much greater and more frequent.

 

[dishMIKE]

Aren't they just AWESOME!!! Mike

 

[PSB]

The BEST LNBF in the WORLD :clap

 

[CharredPC]

I so NEED to get that 120cm here! I can just imagine (ok, really can't) using the Invacom on a dish so much larger; I may even be able to center-mount the C-band lnb, then use the Invacom offset to one side. I imagine the Ku quality would still be way above what I have now, and then the c-band lnb could be perfectly at the focus point as it needs all the help it can get

 

[snathanb]

check out this post for proof about the different meters on the receivers

Thanks Iceberg... I do realize that receivers reflect signal strength differently. I wasn't necessarily comparing his signal strength he was getting with a .3 on his card with my .6 on the fortec. I was more concerned with the lack of a change on his own equipment comparing the two LNBs. However, those concerns were addressed by some of the information I've seen now about his setup.